Additional Qualifiers in Export of Fire Retardant Textiles Introduced to Help in PLI Procedures

From 1 November 2026, mandatory additional qualifiers/identifiers will be required for specified textile tariff items under Chapters 52, 55 and 60 to enable electronic identification of FR fabrics for implementation of the Textile PLI Scheme.

·         Background: Circular No. 55/2020-Customs dated 17.12.2020 advised declaration of complete product descriptions and additional qualifiers to facilitate efficient Customs assessment.

·         Products Covered: Woven and knitted fabrics used in manufacture of Fire/Flame Retardant (FR) textile products, presently falling under various tariff items of Chapters 52, 55 and 60.

·         Problem: The relevant tariff items also cover non-FR fabrics, making it difficult to electronically distinguish FR fabrics based on tariff classification alone.

·         Objective: Additional identifiers are being introduced to facilitate identification of FR textile fabrics for implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles.

·         Mandatory Qualifiers: Prescribed additional qualifiers/identifiers will have to be declared in export declarations for the tariff items specified in the Annexure to the Circular.

·         Customs System: The qualifiers will be mandatory while filing Shipping Bills/export declarations in the Customs Automated System.

·         Effective Date: The mandatory requirement will come into effect from 01.11.2026.

·         Trade Action: Exporters dealing in the specified fabrics should ensure that the required FR-related qualifiers/identifiers are correctly incorporated in their export declarations from the effective date.

·         Public Notice: Customs formations have been directed to issue a suitable Public Notice for guidance of the Trade.

 

[CBIC Circular No. 42/2026-Customs dated 24 September, 2026]

Subject: Mandatory additional qualifiers in export declarations in respect of certain textile products w.e.f. 01.11.2026.

No. 528/03/2026-STO(TU) Reference is invited to the Circular 55/2020-Customs dated 17.12.2020 wherein, importers were advised to voluntarily declare the complete description of imported goods and certain additional qualifiers for imported items such as scientific names, IUPAC names, brand name etc., as applicable to reduce queries and improve the efficiency of assessment.

2. Amongst the products exported, it has been noted that’ several woven and knitted fabrics used in the manufacture of Fire/Flame Retardant (FR) textile products are presently classifiable under various tariff items of Chapters 52, 55 and 60 of the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. As these tariff items cover non-FR textile products also, such products cannot be distinguished electronically on the basis of tariff classification alone, resulting in difficulties in their identification for the purposes of implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles.

3. Accordingly, in terms of the provisions of Shipping Bill (Electronic Integrated Declaration and Paperless Processing) Regulations, 2019, it has been decided to enable the mandatory additional qualifiers/ identifiers for the tariff items specified in the Annexure to this Circular. The said qualifiers/identifiers shall be required to be mandatorily declared while filing export declarations in the Customs Automated System with effect from 01.11.2026.

4. Suitable Public Notice may kindly be issued for the guidance of the Trade. Any difficulties faced or doubts arising in the implementation of this Circular may please be brought to the notice of the Board.

Annexure

Tariff Items

Info Type CD

Qualifier

Description

52121100 ,

52121200 ,

52121300 ,

52121400 ,

CHR

FR001

Flame Retardant Fabric

52121500 ,

52122100 ,

52122200 ,

52122300 ,

52122400 ,

52122500

 

 

55121110,

55121120 ,

55121910 ,

55121920 ,

55121990 ,

55122110 ,

55122120 ,

55122910 ,

55122920 ,

55122990 ,

55129110,

55129120 ,

55129910 ,

55129920 ,

55129990

 

55131110,

55131120 ,

55131210 ,

55131220 ,

55131310,

55131320,

55131910 ,

55131920 ,

55132100 ,

55132300 ,

55132900 ,

55133100 ,

55133900 ,

55134100 ,

55134900

 

55141110,

55141120 ,

55141210 ,

55141220 ,

55141910 ,

55141920 ,

55142100 ,

55142200 ,

55142300 ,

55142900 ,

55143011 ,

55143012 ,

55143013 ,

55143019 ,

55144100 ,

55144200 ,

55144300 ,

55144900

 

 

55151110 ,

55151120 ,

55151130 ,

55151140 ,

55151190 ,

55151210 ,

55151220 ,

55151230 ,

55151240 ,

55151290,

55151910 ,

55151920 ,

55151930 ,

55151940,

55151990 ,

55152110 ,

55152120 ,

55152130 ,

55152140 ,

55152190 ,

55152910 ,

55152920 ,

55152930 ,

55152940 ,

55152990 ,

55159110 ,

55159120 ,

55159130 ,

55159140 ,

55159190 ,

55159910 ,

55159920 ,

55159930 ,

55159940 ,

55159950 ,

55159990

55161110 ,

55161120 ,

55161200 ,

55161300 ,

55161410 ,

55161420 ,

55161490 ,

55162110 ,

55162120 ,

55162200 ,

55162300 ,

55162400,

55164110 ,

55164120 ,

55164200 ,

55164300 ,

55164400 ,

55169110 ,

55169120 ,

55169200,

55169300 ,

55169400

 

 

60041000 ,

60049000

 

 

60062100 ,

60062200 ,

60062300 ,

60062400 ,

60063100 ,

60063200 ,

60063300 ,

60063400 ,

60064100 ,

60064200 ,

60064300 ,

60064400 ,

60069000

 

 

 

52121100 ,

52121200 ,

52121300,

52121400 ,

CHR

FR009

Other than Flame Retardant Fabric

52121500 ,

52122100 ,

52122200 ,

52122300 ,

52122400 ,

52122500

 

 

55121110 ,

55121120 ,

55121910 ,

55121920 ,

55121990 ,

55122110 ,

55122120 ,

55122910 ,

55122920 ,

55122990 ,

55129110 ,

55129120,

55129910 ,

55129920 ,

55129990

 

55131110 ,

55131120 ,

55131210 ,

55131220 ,

55131310 ,

55131320 ,

55131910,

55131920,

55132100 ,

55132300 ,

55132900,

55133100,

55133900 ,

55134100 ,

55134900

 

55141110 ,

55141120 ,

55141210 ,

55141220,

55141910 ,

55141920 ,

55142100,

55142200 ,

55142300 ,

55142900 ,

55143011 ,

55143012 ,

55143013 ,

55143019 ,

55144100,

55144200,

55144300 ,

55144900

 

 

55151110,

55151120 ,

55151130 ,

55151140,

55151190 ,

55151210 ,

55151220 ,

55151230 ,

55151240 ,

55151290 ,

55151910 ,

55151920,

55151930 ,

55151940 ,

55151990 ,

55152110 ,

55152120 ,

55152130 ,

55152140 ,

55152190 ,

55152910 ,

55152920 ,

55152930 ,

55152940 ,

55152990 ,

55159110 ,

55159120 ,

55159130 ,

55159140,

55159190 ,

55159910 ,

55159920 ,

55159930,

55159940,

55159950 ,

55159990

55161110 ,

55161120 ,

55161200 ,

55161300 ,

55161410 ,

55161420 ,

55161490 ,

55162110 ,

55162120 ,

55162200 ,

55162300,

55162400 ,

55164110 ,

55164120 ,

55164200 ,

55164300 ,

55164400 ,

55169110 ,

55169120 ,

55169200 ,

55169300 ,

55169400

 

 

60041000 ,

60049000

 

 

60062100 ,

60062200 ,

60062300 ,

60062400 ,

60063100 ,

60063200 ,

60063300 ,

60063400 ,

60064100,

60064200 ,

60064300 ,

60064400 ,

60069000